Nothing
by lonelyxlovely
Summary: I got the idea for this one while watching'The Count of Monte Cristo'. Buffy goes missing and its up to Willow to find her. Chapter 7 up!
1. The Best of Times

_Joss Whedon owns all of the characters except the bad guy...he's from my own twisted mind...mwahaha! Anyhow, R and R please!_

Chapter 1

It was night and the Scoobies had all given in on patrol. Except Buffy. Being a Slayer, she stayed out. Her head turned sharply when she heard a noise from behind a nearby tree. Stake at the ready, she crept to where the noise was.

Kennedy jumped out at her.

"Look at the Big Bad Slayer," Kennedy mused.

"Kennedy," Buffy warned.

"Lighten up, Buff," Kennedy said. "Not like we're over the Hellmouth anymore."

Buffy rolled her eyes and continued on her way through the cemetery. Kennedy trailed after her.

"Doesn't mean we still aren't fighting," Buffy said without looking at the other woman.

A man strolled casually onto the path, whistling as he went.

"Like that," Buffy muttered. Then to the man, she said, "Little late for a stroll."

He looked back at her and smiled.

"Not really," he replied.

She smiled at him sarcastically. The man's eyes went nervously to Buffy's stake.

"Does 'Slayer' mean anything to you?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, she died, the way I hear it," he said without thinking.

His hand suddenly went up to cover his mouth.

"I mean, the band?" he tried to cover up.

"That's what I thought," Buffy said.

As the vamp tried to make a run for it, Buffy tackled him from behind. The two went down hard. The vamp got up and began to run again. Kennedy caught him from the front and plunged her own stake deep into his chest. He screamed and exploded into dust.

"Catch ya later," Kennedy said over her shoulder, leaving Buffy still on the ground.

Kennedy walked off into the cemetery, disappearing before Buffy could say anything. Buffy got up and dusted herself off. She sighed and continued off across the graveyard.

Walking by an ornately decorated crypt, the wind seemed to pick up. Buffy pulled her jacket closer against the cold.

"Sssslayer," it hissed.

"Hello?" Buffy called.

A shadow formed from the darkness around her. It looked out at her from red light that served as its eyes.

"You're mine," it told her.

"What?" Buffy asked.

She looked down to see more darkness forming on her wrists, forming bonds.

"You've been found guilty of..." it searched its memory.

"Being the Slayer," she said sarcastically, struggling against the ever-forming chains.

"Being," it told her.

"Why me?" she challenged it.

"Silence," it boomed. "I am your judge, jury and executioner and you have been found guilty," the shadow told her firmly.

"You can't do this," she said.

"You have no choice," it said. "I was summoned to take the Guilty One."

"Guilty of what?" Buffy asked.

The shadow didn't answer and Buffy soon found herself being engulfed by the solid darkness. She struggled in vain to keep her head above it, but to no avail. Her screams echoed against the night sky and were soon swallowed as the shadow pulled itself and Buffy into the earth.


	2. Times go Bad

As with last time, I own nothing but the bad guy. Still looking for a name for him, if anyone has any suggestions... :) R & R please!

Ruki and Tremors: Sorry its taken me so long. Hope you like this one!

Walking by an ornately decorated crypt, the wind seemed to pick up. Buffy pulled her jacket closer against the cold.

"Sssslayer," it hissed.

"Hello?" Buffy called.

A shadow formed from the darkness around her. It looked out at her from red light that served as its eyes.

"You're mine," it told her.

"What?" Buffy asked.

She looked down to see more darkness forming on her wrists, forming bonds.

"You've been found guilty of..." it searched its memory.

"Being the Slayer," she said sarcastically, struggling against the ever-forming chains.

"Being," it told her.

"Why me?" she challenged it.

"Silence," it boomed. "I am your judge, jury and executioner and you have been found guilty," the shadow told her firmly.

"You can't do this," she said.

"You have no choice," it said. "I was summoned to take the Guilty One."

"Guilty of what?" Buffy asked.

The shadow didn't answer and Buffy soon found herself being engulfed by the solid darkness. She struggled in vain to keep her head above it, but to no avail. Her screams echoed against the night sky and were soon swallowed as the shadow pulled itself and Buffy into the earth.

The morning dawned and the Scoobies were up. Sharing a house with Xander and Willow could be hectic, but Dawn had learned to deal with it.

"Buffy still in bed?" Dawn asked, coming down the hall.

"I haven't seen her yet, sweety," Willow said. "Why?  
"It would be nice if we knew what the vamp population was like," Xander said.

"I don't know..." Dawn said, sitting down at the breakfast table, "I don't think I heard her come in last night."

"I'm sure she's fine," Willow offered.

Willow place a bowl and the milk in front of Dawn. Pouring herself a bowl, Dawn sat in silence.

"Morning all," a familiar cheery voice came from the front door.

"Hey, its Kennedy," Xander announced.

"Seen Buffy yet?" Dawn asked Kennedy.

"Buffy?" she asked surprised. "Not since last night."

She grabbed a piece of toast that had just popped up from the toaster.

"Why?" she asked through a mouthful.

"Nobody heard her come in last night," Dawn told her.

"I'm sure she just got...held up or something," Willow said enthusiastically.

Dawn gave her a doubtful look. She sighed and got up from the table.

"Guess I better get going," she mumbled.

Willow bit her bottom lip as she took out her scrying crystal, sure she was just overreacting. She closed her eyes and focused her energies into the crystal, hoping it would point the way to where Buffy was. The crystal hardly moved at all.

"Will?" Kennedy asked from the door to their room.

Startled, Willow's hold on the string loosened and the crystal fell to the table. She quickly gathered everything back up. Throwing them all into a drawer, she turned around.

"Yeah?" she answered.

"Is everything okay?"

"Peachy."

Kennedy gave her a you-don't-act-okay look. She approached Willow and Willow leaned into her. Kennedy wrapped her arms around her and pulled her closer, allowing her head to rest on her shoulder.

"She'll come back," she promised.

"I know," Willow replied. "She's just never done this before."

After thinking for a second, she then added, "Well except that one time. But she had a reason."

She stood up straighter and took Kennedy's arms into her hands. She smiled at her and walked out of the room.

Dawn came home from school and Xander returned from the new site. Giles met them in the kitchen.

"Any luck?" Xander asked Giles.

Giles shook his head.

"Something's wrong," Dawn said, panic beginning to rise up in her. "I mean, how many times has she actually done this? Well, okay there was the whole thing after Angel and Acathla, but that was different."

"Has anything happened to her emotionally?" Giles asked.

"You mean beside the fact that Spike was dusted, Anya was killed, and Sunnydale is a giant crater?" Xander retorted.

"Maybe she went to L.A." Andrew offered, coming from the training room.

Dawn shook her head.

"She would have said something if she was going to go see Angel. She always does," Dawn told him.

"Just a thought," he replied.

A deep silence seemed to wrap around the room. It was only shattered when Willow entered the room. Giles gave her a sympathetic smile. She returned it.

"I think I may know a way to find out where she is, if you all don't think I'm overreacting, or you know, acting too soon," Willow told them.

"Of course," Giles murmured. "A locater spell."

"Exactly," Willow told him.

Later that night, the moon seemed to blaze in through Willow and Kennedy's bedroom window. At 11, she had begun to cleanse the room and light the candles. By midnight, she began her chanting.

"Hecate," she intoned, "Goddess of Magick, I call thee from the Nether Regions. Come forth and answer my plea. Help me find one who is lost."

The nonexistent wind picked up suddenly, making the candles flutter. Willow could feel the darkness welling up inside of her. But at the same time, could also feel the light surrounding her. She took a breath before continuing.

"Guardians of the Gates, I call thee to answer. Open your portals to me now. Help me find one who is lost."

Her shadow leapt up from its position on the wall. It came to face her.

"Don't mettle where you're not welcome," it screamed at her in an inhuman voice.

"Let me through," she yelled back, the wind picking up even more.

Her skin began to glow white and soon, it enveloped the entire room. Her shadow screamed in pain and retreated to its usual place on the wall. Willow's arms went up to cover her face. When she looked again, the glowing had stopped, but her friends were standing in the doorway looking in awe at her. She grinned sheepishly.

"Will, that was..."Xander began, but couldn't finish.

Her face straightened and she looked around.

"But it didn't help us any," Willow replied.

"We'll find a way," Giles reassured her, coming up to the front of the small crowd in the doorway. "She's out there somewhere."

Buffy floated in the dark abyss of her prison. Groggily, she looked around. Fighting it, she got up from where she had lain. Without flooring of any kind beneath her boots, she lost her balance to the air. Giving up, she let herself float with the rest of the darkness.

"I am the Slayer," she told herself. "And I will get through this."

She examined the place she was in and wasn't sure if her eyes were open or not. Buffy stared off into the black nothingness.

"My name is Buffy Summers and I am the Slayer. My mother is Joyce and mydadis Hank. Dawn is my..." she continued a single loop of telling herself her life's story and relations.

She let a single tear slip down her cheek. She looked remorsefully around her looking for some kind of hope. She took a deep breath before continuing her sorrowful tale of herself.


	3. Reappearing Act

_Sorry it took me so long to get this written up...I've been busy lately. I will try and put my chapters up sooner. As usual, R&R!_

3 years later...

Buffy floated in the dark Nothing. She wasn't sure if she was awake or dreaming and she didn't care. She rolled her head to the side and continued to float.

"I am," she whispered to herself, unable to finish the sentence.

The phone rang at Willow's house. She picked it up and said, "Hello?"

"Willow?" came Dawn's voice from the other end of the line.

Willow sighed sorrowfully.

"No luck yet, Dawny," she answered to Dawn's silence.

"You haven't stopped have you?" Dawn asked in a strained voice.

"Dawny, it's...it's not that easy," Willow replied in her own defense.

"You should try harder."

"I will, sweety. We'll find her."

"Do that."

"I will."

The two women hung up without another word. Willow sighed heavily and leaned against the wall. The click of a door being opened reverted her attention back to everyday life.

"Willow?" came Kennedy voice.

"Hey," Willow greeted her girlfriend.

"What's the matter?" Kennedy asked, dropping her bags where she stood.

Willow looked down and shook her head.

"Dawny's being a bit...harsh, which she has a right to do, but its not helping much," she said, with her trademark half smile.

"She'll be okay," Kennedy reassured her.

Willow sighed and walked down the hall into their bedroom. She looked out the window, watching the sun dip down into the horizon. The clock said it was only 8:45 and tonight was a new moon. Willow nodded to herself then.

"Willow?" Kennedy asked, coming up behind her.

"I'm trying again," Willow told her girlfriend. "And this time I'll find her."

The sun disappeared and the new moon rose. Willow set up her spell the same as she had done 3 years later.

With only moments to go until midnight, Kennedy came into the living room where Willow had set up shop.

"Anything I can do?" she asked.

"Nope," Willow said enthusiastically. "I've got it."

Kennedy smiled at her and walked out the door to go patrolling.

The room was now filled with candlelight. Willow went around and hung up talismans that she had acquired in her search for finding Buffy.

In the meantime, Kennedy strolled through the cemetery. Her shadow took on a different form on a marble tombstone. She jumped back and into a fighter's stance as it rose to face her.

"The allotted time is up," it informed her. "She is no longer my concern."

"Time's up?" Kennedy asked incredulously. "What the hell do you mean 'time's up'?"

"The Slayer never was any of my care until you requested my services," it spoke again. "Three years is all I agreed to."

"I was never informed of-"

It had already reverted back to being her own shadow.

"Damn it," she whispered.

"Hecate," Willow intoned, "Goddess of Magick, I call thee from the Nether Regions. Come forth and answer my plea. Help me find one who is lost."

Again, the wind picked up from nowhere and the flames flickered. The talismans tinkled as they blew in the new breeze.

"Guardians of the Gates," she continued, "I call thee to answer. Open your portals to me now. Help me find one who is lost."

A vision suddenly seared the back of her eyelids.

_A woman dropped from thin air to land under the branches of a weeping willow. She didn't move but did mumble incoherently to herself. The woman finally lifted her blonde head to reveal green eyes and gaunt cheeks._

"Buffy," Willow whispered to herself as the vision fizzled out.

She heard the door slam downstairs. Getting up, she hurried to see what the commotion was.

"Kennedy?" she called as she ran down the hall.

Kennedy stormed to the kitchen and filled up a glass with water. Slugging it down, she seemed to glower out the window.

"Kennedy?" Willow asked again as she walked into the kitchen. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Kennedy replied trying to appear calmer than she was. "Vamp."

"A vampire is what's bothering you?" Willow asked blandly.

"It's nothing," Kennedy snapped.

She turned from the window and hurried up the stairs. Willow watched her go and raised an eyebrow. She didn't know what Kennedy was up to, but she knew something was up. Something besides the supposed vampire.


	4. And the Plot Thickens

_Same stuff as always. I should have the demon named by the end of this chapter. I am really sorry it is taking me so long to write this. You could say I have writing ADD. Just bare with me and please tell others about this story. I am really looking for more reviews and ideas. _

Chapter 4

It was night. A very dark night at that. The stars weren't shining and the new moon was out. The night was also unusally quiet. Nothing stirred in the cemetary but the occasional rustling of the leaves and creak of the gate.

A crack of thunder sounded through the head stones and the raccoon that sat in the drooping weeping willow darted for safer ground. A light ripped through the shadow that the weeping willow cast. A petite figure fell through and the light disappeared with a pop.

The figure landed in a heap and lay there. She made a small, strangled sound as she nearly landed on a root. She lifted her head quickly and looked around her, gulping at the air. She let her head fall to ground and she lay where she was.

"Sai-bi!" Kennedy shrieked.

She stood in a desolate cave in front of a small fire.

"Answer me, damnit," she muttered.

She huffed and crossed her arms. The information she had received was not good. Her little plan was quickly failing and she didn't like it.

"Sai-bi!" she demanded again.

The shadows that the fire cast began to stir and collect. Two eyes appeared in them.

"What do you want of me, mortal?" it asked, obviously annoyed that it had been summoned.

"What the hell did you do? I thought we had a deal," she shouted at it.

"What 'deal' was that?" it asked her.

"The Slayer. You were supposed to get rid of her," she spat.

"And I did," it explained. "But what of your end of the bargain?"

"_My_ end? What does that have to with anything?"

"Foolish, selfish mortal," it said and laughed. "I owe you nothing. It is _you_ who owes me."

Kennedy breathed heavily through her teeth and began to pace the cave floor. She knew she should have thought these dealings through before she dealt with a demon. No one had ever asked for anything of her in return for anything. It wasn't fair that Sai-bi had expected something for its services.

"If I promise something in return, will you take her back?" she asked carefully after thinking it through.

"Sorry," it told her, "I'm not interested in Slayers."

It then vanished into the shadows it had sprung from.

Kennedy screamed in pure rage. She slammed her balled fists into the cave wall, will exploded into a thousand different pieces. She picked up a log from the dying fire and threw it from the cave. As she walked out of the cave, she gave the log a kick and stormed back through the woods.

The phone rang twice. Willow was about to hang up when a familiar voice answered.

"Hello?" Angel answered.

"Angel!" Willow said excitedly. "I wasn't sure who else to turn to."

"What is it? Is Buffy okay?" he asked anxiously.

"Uh, well," she stuttered, "if you could answer my question first."

"Oh," he said slowly, "I'm listening."

"Well, I kind of saw something, but not in the 'oh look at that' saw. I mean it was in my head," she explained.

"You had a vision," he replied.

"A vision," she said blankly. "From who?"

"Powers That Be," he answered. "Cordy..."

His end was silent for a few seconds.

"I'm sorry," Willow told him quietly. "I take it she had them, too."

"Yeah."

They were silent as Angel gathered his thoughts again.

"So is Buffy...?" he asked unable to finish the sentence.

"She will be," Willow told him.

"Will be?"

"She's been missing, but I think we've found her."

"Where are you at right now? I'll be there as fast as I can."

"No, don't worry about it. It's under control."

"But-" he said.

"We'll find her. I had a vision, remember?" she cut him off.

"Oh," he replied. "But if anything-"

"It will be okay, Angel," she cut him off again. "I promise."

The two said their goodbyes and hung up. Willow sighed and touched her hand to her forehead.

"Vision, huh," she murmured.

She walked to a lower cabinet and pulled out a tea pot and filled it with water. Willow set the pot on the stove and turned the burner on. As the water was heating up, she pulled down a tea mug from the rack.

She sighed as she listened for the telltale signs of bubbling water. When the pot finally began to whistle, she poured a cup of water into the mug and slid a tea bag into it. Breathing in the steam, she tried to calm herself.

Willow suddenly heard the front door open and slam shut.

"Willow?" she heard Kennedy call out.

"In here," Willow answered.

Kennedy footsteps could be heard padding silently across the carpet. She appeared in the doorway with a curious expression on her face. Their eyes met and they were silent for several moments. Willow's tea was nearly forgotten until Kennedy turned to go up the stairs to their bedroom. Willow watched her go, still wondering what Kennedy was up to.

Dawn walked in as soon as Kennedy had gone. She tossed a thick packet of papers onto the island in the middle of the kitchen.

"Something's up," she told Willow.

"What is?" Willow asked.

"That's the thing," she said. "We don't exactly know. What we do know is that something really did a number on this demon."

She dug out a picture from the pile. A blue demon looked like it had been severely mauled by an animal. Willow looked it over.

"This was found in his chest," Dawn continued and pulled out a jagged piece of wood.

"Slayer?" Willow asked.

"Dana's still in custody. We don't know of any other Slayers like her," she answered.

Willow chewed her bottom lip, pondering the possibilities. She knew Buffy was coming back. She just didn't know when, where, or how.

She dumped what was left in her mug and put it in the sink.

"Willow?" Dawn asked, unsure of her friend's behavior.

"I had a vision," Willow blurted. "And I saw Buffy."

"You saw Buffy?" Dawn said perking up.

"I think," she replied.

Dawn looked at Willow with a concerned look. Willow looked down at the floor before speaking again.

"I saw a blond," Willow answered. "And the face looked like Buffy, but she was different somehow."

"Then we need to be out there looking for her," Dawn said, near yelling at the red-head.

"And we will," she replied. "But we need to know what killed the demon. Maybe it'll lead us to wherever Buffy is now."

Meanwhile, Buffy lay in a corner of a darkened mausoleum. A pile of vampire dust lay just to her right. The makeshift stake was still clenched tightly in her fist. Her eyes were closed but she didn't sleep.

This place looked so familiar to her, but she couldn't remember why. A wind came through the door. Buffy tensed up and sat bolt upright, stake at the ready. When she saw it was nothing, she relaxed a little, but looked at the door suspisciously. She crawled forward a little and looked through the cracked door.

It was so bright out. Couldn't something make it dim? Everything about it was familiar. Buffy strained to remember why she knew it. The only thing she could clearly remember was the Nothingness. She shivered at the thought and backed away, going deeper into the dark.


	5. The Return

_Finally, I return with another chapter at the request of the few that are reading this and sending me reviews. Please continue to do so, I appreciate it. I will attempt to finish this one before the end of next year (crosses fingers)._

Chapter 5

Dawn snoozed comfortably as daunting dreams of her lost sister floated about her head. She knew Buffy had to be alive out there somewhere and as long as she kept that thought alive, so was Buffy. All they had to do now was look for her, whether she wanted to be found or not.

The smell of bacon roused her out of sleep. A shiver was sent down her spine as she was gripped with a fear coming from nowhere and broke sleep's spell. She felt as though cold water had been dumped down her back and struggled to catch her breath. She opened her eyes to complete black, which then disintegrated into her own bedroom which was now filled with bright morning light.

"Whoa," she breathed, now breathing normally again.

Down the stairs, Willow was cooking breakfast with Kennedy sitting at the island chattering away.

"…following me. It's like it's watching me or something," Kennedy was saying.

"Hmm, weird. I dunno, I'll have to look into it, I guess," Willow answered her obviously distressed girlfriend. "Hey, Dawny! Breakfast?"

Willow pointed at the skillet and then at a steaming plate stacked high with pancakes. Kennedy had suddenly become quiet. She looked at Dawn and then walked out of the kitchen.

"Don't mind her," Willow told her. "She's just a little cranky this morning."

"It's cool. Thing's have been weird lately," Dawn answered. "Have you heard anything?"

"Maybe," Willow answered.

"What did you hear?"

"I…saw something. I had a vision."

"Of what?" Dawn asked, now picking up a plate and forking two pancakes onto it.

"Buffy," Willow answered, lowering her voice and turning the fire down on the bacon. "I think anyways."

Dawn had suddenly gotten very silent. The pancakes completely forgotten in front of her, she gently laid the fork down onto the plate, letting it clatter lightly against the ceramic.

"You made me pancakes to tell me this?" she asked Willow.

Willow looked at the floor, a little ashamed. When she looked back up, Dawn was staring at her with hope on her face.

"Where was she?" Dawn asked. "We need to go out and look for her."

"We need to keep it hush, hush until we know why she disappeared," Willow warned her.

"Okay," Dawn answered. "No problem."

Suddenly remembering the pancakes, she poured some syrup on top and gulped them down.

"Where to?" Dawn asked her.

Buffy had slowly wandered out into the growing daylight. She knew this place looked familiar; as though she had been here before. The neat row of gray and somewhat overgrown headstones accompanied by a few mausoleums scattered here and there. The wet, cool grass lay down under her hands and feet, making them feel just a bit sticky.

Using a headstone for balance, she stood up and looked around. The cool air whipped through her hair, startling her. Why weren't things still anymore? Where was she?

Eyes wide, she took in the scene. Brief flashes of memories long forgotten flashed through her head. Unfortunately, she couldn't make sense of any of them. A tall, dark and handsome someone smiled crookedly at her; a red-haired girl and two brunettes – a girl and a man – walked through a cemetery very similar to this one and the brunette girl laughed a bit cruelly at something one of them said; she saw her fist connect with a bleached blonde man's face; finally, a much younger brunette girl's face swam into view with tear streaks running down her face and an explosion of some kind behind her.

Buffy struggled to catch her breath and whimpered weakly. Nothing was making any sense. Why wasn't she in the Nothing any more? To attempt to clear her head of the strange faces, she made her way through the cemetery.

_So, what do you think? I've already started on the next chapter, so hopefully, I can get it up soon. ___


	6. Finding Buffy

_Wow...I finally drudged this story back up and I am bound and determined to finish after...2 years! Please R&R to keep my motivation going. :)_

Chapter 6

Buffy snoozed peacefully. She felt warmth in her sleep. A cool, natural warmth that she hadn't felt in...when had she felt it? The Nothing produced just that – nothing. When the noon day sun reached her face through the window in the mausoleum, she put a hand to her face. She groaned lightly. When her hand brushed a few pieces of loose gravel on the cold stone floor, she sprang awake instantly, her slayer senses on high alert.

She squinted against the sunlight streaming in and crouched down. She crawled on her hands and knees to the window. She peaked out, trying to see if there was some clue about where she was. This place was so familiar, yet new.

'Why is it so hard?' she thought.

But she was...who was she? She had forgotten what had seemed like an eternity ago. She backed down from the window and sat against the wall. She huffed, blinking back tears. It was all so frustrating.

It was then that she heard voices outside of the mausoleum. She immediately snapped to attention. The voices were coming closer. Still crouching, she slipped out of the mausoleum. When the door gave a very long, sharp creak, she bolted. Surely the noise had been heard.

She ran blindly, unsure of her surroundings. She dodged the headstones with ease, hurdling a few that seemed easier. Without slowing, she turned her head to look to see if she was being followed. That was when an angel's solid stone wing stopped her in her tracks. She fell onto the soft grass, out cold.

"So you think we'll find her out here?" Dawn asked.

Willow nodded. Things were different this time. They had a lead.

'Kinda,' Willow thought.

Dawn sighed and kept watching for any sign of Buffy. A footprint, a blonde hair, a creaking door.

Dawn and Willow immediately looked at each other. They quickened their pace. Dawn began sprinting towards where the noise had come from.

"We don't need to scare whoever it was!" Willow called out after her.

Dawn kept going. She knew it had to be Buffy. It just had to be.

A hollow _thunk! _caught Dawn's attention. She quickly changed directions to follow it. She felt her legs taking her faster and faster in the direction of the new sound. She was suddenly slowing down to dodge the headstones that were very inconveniently in her way.

'Please be Buffy,' she thought as her pace slowed.

She nearly ran past the still figure that lay on the ground next to a very large stone angel with outstretched arms.

It was woman with a gaunt face and very thin. A dark bruise had started forming on the side of her face. Her blond hair was splayed out underneath her head forming a strange halo. All she could do was stare.

"Buffy?" she squeaked.

Willow finally came up behind her, huffing and puffing from trying to catch up.

"Dawn, _huff_, what, _huff_, is it?" Willow wheezed.

Dawn bit her lip and pointed down a very still Buffy.

_After having left this one to fester for so long, I'm really hoping I haven't repeated anything too much. I do already have the next chapter halfway typed as I am writing this. I hope to have it up by tomorrow if not sooner. Until then, R&R kiddies. :)_


	7. Who Am I?

_Check me out! 2 chapters in less than 48 hours. Please just keep in mind this is being written from a time before the comics had ever been thought of. Just thought I should add that little tid bit._

Chapter 7

Dawn couldn't help but stare at the still unconscious form of her sister. The swelling had finally had down on her bruised face about the same as the sun. Darkness filled the room, save for the moonlight that filtered in through the blinds.

She had done her best to clean the dirt that had been clinging underneath her nails and the dozen or so rocks that had tangled themselves in her hair, but Dawn still couldn't quite get her put back together. She was still curious to know about Buffy's mental state. She wanted to know where she'd been, why she'd gone. But more importantly, what had happened? This certainly didn't look like the Buffy who could always get herself out of any bind.

Dawn sighed and got up from her position by the bed. She had delegated the bed to Buffy. She would be taking the couch tonight. Before she left, she considered curling up next to her like she had done when she was younger. Instead, she touched Buffy's arm and left the room. Buffy was left alone with the darkness of the room and the moonlight that illuminated her face.

Willow settled back into her chair in the living room with a cup of hot tea. The teleportation spell that she had used to get Buffy to Dawn's apartment had been exhausting. It was still much easier than trying to lug the still form of the Slayer all the way to the apartment and then up the 4 flights of stairs. Still, it had left her very much drained.

"Willow!" she heard as the front door swung open. "I'm home!"

"I'm in here," she called.

Kennedy came into the darkened living room and turned on the lamp. Willow shielded her eyes a bit.

"Turn it off, please, baby," Willow pleaded. "Headache."

"Oh. Okay."

Kennedy quickly turned the light off. She sat on the sofa next to Willow and patted the seat next to her.

"Long day?" Kennedy asked.

Willow moaned lightly. Kennedy didn't like to see her girlfriend in pain. It had almost made her want to bring Buffy back when the older Slayer had "disappeared." It had been a struggle the first few months.

Kennedy finally offered her opened hand to Willow.

"Take it," Kennedy offered genuinely.

"Kennedy, I can't just-"

"I'm strong. Why can't you be, too?"

Willow got up from her chair, taking the empty coffee mug into the kitchen. Her legs felt wobbly underneath her still, but she needed to get away from Kennedy. If only for a few minutes. She just needed some time to recooperate from the intense power drain.

Meanwhile, Kennedy sulked off to the bedroom. She hated being rejected. Especially by Willow. By any woman really. She changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. She huffed and closed her eyes.

Dawn woke to sound of shuffling feet. She sat up on the couch and pushed some of the blankets off of herself. She stretched a little and looked at her phone to see what time it was. She groaned when she saw it was only 3 in the morning.

"Buffy?" she called.

Buffy froze when she heard her name. She had just reached the living room. Her eyes met Dawn's and she looked at her quizzically.

"Buffy, what's wrong?" Dawn asked, more than a little afraid.

Buffy hesitated before straightening her posture and looking at Dawn seriously.

"Who...?" she rasped.

"Who?" Dawn echoed. "Am I?" after a beat.

Buffy looked very lost at the question. She bit her lip.

Dawn quickly got up. She walked cautiously past Buffy into the kitchen. Buffy followed her, but looked even more perplexed by the kitchen.

A simple white stove was surrounded by lightly stained wood counter tops. White doors covered each set of cabinets both above and below the counter tops. A small white refrigerator was in the far corner.

Dawn broke Buffy's reverie of the scene. She offered her a glass of water. Buffy looked at it curiously.

"Oh, Buffy," Dawn mumbled.

This was going to be a long night.

_Again, R&R to see if the Buffster can be returned to her former glory. Or at least mentality. _


End file.
